A FEDERAL HIGH COURT in Abuja has granted the Department of State Services (DSS) permission to detain ten suspected members of the Boko Haram/ISWAP terrorist group for 60 days while investigations continue.
Justice Emeka Nwite, who presided over the ruling, stated that the application filed by the DSS was meritorious. “An order is hereby made enabling the State Security Service (aka DSS)/applicant to detain the respondents for sixty (60) days pending the conclusion of investigation,” he ruled.
The suspects, identified as Adamu Abubakar (aka Abu Aisha), Babagana Bashuli, Muhammed Adam, Mustapha Abacha, and Katuru Muhammed, along with Babakura Abacha, Muhammed Ciroma, Ali Gambo, Muhammed Umoru, and Muhammed Bundi, were arrested on December 16, 2024, in Ilesa East Local Government Area of Osun State.
The DSS, in an affidavit deposed by its official Yamuje Benye, alleged that the suspects were members of Boko Haram/ISWAP who had relocated from the Sambisa Forest to Osun due to ongoing military operations targeting their strongholds. Intelligence reports revealed that the suspects were in the process of setting up a terrorist cell in Osun and were undergoing training on manufacturing and detonating improvised explosive devices (IEDs).
DSS Investigation and Security Concerns
The agency emphasized that preliminary investigations had established the suspects’ involvement in terrorism-related activities. It added that the respondents were providing vital intelligence to identify and apprehend other members of the terrorist group still at large.
According to the DSS, releasing the suspects at this stage would jeopardize ongoing efforts to dismantle the group’s network.
“The activities of the respondents constitute a potent threat to national security and the corporate existence of Nigeria,” the agency stated in its application.
The court also granted a similar request by the DSS to detain two other suspects, Ayomide Akintunde and Nurudeen Adesiyan, for 60 days. These individuals were apprehended on December 19, 2024, by the DSS Tactical Team in Modakeke, Ife East LGA of Osun State.
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Links to Moroccan Terrorists
In the affidavit deposed by DSS official Mercy Ebo, the agency disclosed that Akintunde and Adesiyan were linked to a Moroccan terrorist currently in the custody of Spanish authorities. The Moroccan suspect had allegedly communicated with the two Nigerians using GSM numbers registered in their names for over ten months.
The DSS asserted that the Moroccan suspect was under investigation for producing jihadist publications and attempting to acquire firearms for planned terrorist attacks in Nigeria.
Akintunde and Adesiyan reportedly admitted to owning the GSM numbers identified in the intelligence report and are assisting the DSS with crucial information to uncover other members of the network.
This development comes as Nigeria continues its battle against the insurgency led by Boko Haram and ISWAP in the northeastern region. Over the years, the group’s activities have expanded beyond the region, with cells attempting to establish footholds in other parts of the country.
The move by Boko Haram operatives to Osun State reflects a strategic shift as military operations intensify in traditional conflict zones like Sambisa Forest. The Nigerian Army and other security agencies have made significant strides in disrupting the group’s operations, but this incident underscores the ongoing threat posed by terrorism in the country.
The DSS emphasized the broader implications of the suspects’ activities, noting that the investigation has assumed a wider dimension with potential international links.
“It is in the interest of justice and national security to grant this application,” the agency said, stressing that further investigation is necessary to mitigate any security threats posed by the suspects.
Justice Nwite has adjourned both matters until March 3, 2025, for further mention. Meanwhile, the DSS continues its investigation, aiming to dismantle the network and ensure the safety of Nigerians.
